Voltify, co-founded by Daphna Langer, is tackling freight rail decarbonization with a three-pillar system that avoids the two dominant but impractical approaches — full overhead catenary electrification and pure battery-electric locomotives. Instead, it combines retrofitted battery-electric locomotives, dynamic in-motion charging on select high-value track segments, and localized microgrids powered by solar, grid, and battery storage managed by proprietary software. The business case centers on reducing diesel fuel costs by up to 30% for rail operators, while also addressing concentrated air quality and public health impacts near rail yards that disproportionately affect lower-income communities.
Table of contents
The Electrification TrapLeapfrogging Conventional ElectrificationA Three-Pillar SystemWhere the Business Case Actually WorksThe Concentration ProblemBeyond Carbon: A System Redesign12 Impressions